George Orwell described an incident that occurred during the Spanish Civil War. Orwell wrote from the front lines that he saw a man from the opposing Fascist forces jump out of the trench and run along the parapet in full view. He presumably was carrying a message to an officer. The man was wearing a pair of ill-fitting trousers, which he held up with one hand as he ran. Orwell wrote, “I refrained from shooting him…I had come here to shoot at ‘fascists,’ but a man who is holding up his trousers isn’t a ‘fascist,’ he is visibly a fellow-creature, similar to yourself, and you don’t feel like shooting him.”

     Orwell’s story reminds me of the ways in which God sees us. 1 Samuel 16:7 writes, “God doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the Lord sees into the heart” (CEB).

 

     God doesn’t look at our net worth or award lists or titles or even the balance sheet of our good deeds. God sees us as we are: frail, vulnerable beings trying to cover up our spiritual nakedness. The New Testament claims that we once were enemies of God (Romans 5:10) deserving of punishment. Yet Jesus came to this world and became like one of us, so that when God looks at us through the eyes of the Son, he sees us holding up our trousers and declares that we are friends, not foes.

 

     As we move toward Good Friday, remember that Jesus died without wearing any trousers. He suffered disgrace and indecency for the love of his enemies. He suffered for us.